Straphangers Campaign 2007 Survey of Subway Station Payphones

METHODOLOGY

This survey is intended as a follow-up to seven previous NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign payphone surveys conducted between 1999 and 2006.

In November 2001 and again in August 2002, we released reports in which we tested all payphones in 100 randomly selected New York City Transit subway stations, as well as those in the 25 most-used stations.  In addition, in February 1999, we released a report in which we tested the payphones in 100 randomly selected subway stations; in February 2004 we released a report on the testing of all payphones in 100 randomly selected MTA Metro-North, LIRR and New York City Transit stations.  In December 2000 and again in February 2005 the campaign tested payphones in the 25 most-used subway stations.  In May 2006, Straphangers Campaign released a report on the testing of payphones in 100 randomly selected subway stations, along with those in the 15 most-used stations.

This report documents the findings of two separate subway payphone surveys—one in which Straphangers Campaign tested all payphones in 100 randomly-selected subway stations and one in which we tested all payphones in the top 25 most-used subway stations.  This report reflects the observations on the functionality of 1423 subway payphones at 112 New York City Transit stations.1
The Straphangers Campaign trained and deployed twenty-five volunteers over the period between July 3rd and January 23, 2007. Volunteers were instructed to test every payphone in each of the 112 subway station sample and record all data on survey forms.

A telephone was rated as “non-functioning” if any of the following applied:

• The handset was missing or unusable;
• There was no dial tone;
• Surveyors were unable to connect to a 1-800 number;
• The coin slot was blocked;
• Coins deposited did not register; or
• The telephone would not return a coin after no call was connected.
  

All data was consolidated and analyzed in the aggregate in the period following the survey.

1.  Survey of payphones in 100 randomly selected stations
Campaign staff selected 100 of the system’s 468 stations by a random drawing, and sent volunteers to each of these stations.  For this portion of our survey, 886 payphones were tested throughout 100 stations.  We found that 627 payphones (71%) were fully functional, significant at the .05 level within plus/minus 4%.  A complete list of the stations selected can be found at table three. 

In our 2006 report, we found that 71% of the phones tested in our sample of 100 randomly selected subway stations functioned correctly.  The difference in findings between the 2006 report and this one is not statistically significant.

2.  Survey of Payphones in 25 most-used subway stations

In the random selection of 100 subway stations, 13 of the most-used 25 stations were incidentally selected for observation.  Thus, in order to complete the second portion of our report, Straphangers Campaign volunteers then additionally surveyed 12 of the remainder of the top 25 most-used stations.2

In these 25 stations, a total of 537 payphones were tested.  Of these, our surveyors found that 421 (78%) of these were found in functioning order.  While this figure cannot be directly compared to findings in previous reports, it appears consistent with our 2002 and 2005 surveys of payphones in the top 25 most-used stations, in which we found 71% and 73% functionality, respectively.
Among the 15 stations common to the 2006 survey and this one, we found that payphone functioning rates deteriorated in four stations and improved in eleven.  Each change is statistically significant.

3.  Independent Auditing and New York City Passenger Environment Survey
One other regularly scheduled survey also measures payphone performance in MTA stations. 
New York City Transit conducts its own semi-annual telephone rating in its respected Passenger Environment Survey (PES).  During the first half of 2006, PES surveyors found 92% of phones were functioning properly.  Second half 2006 PES data had not yet been publicly released by the date of publication of this report.

Results cited in the PES are not comparable to those in this report, as PES surveyors do not use a coin to test the functioning of a telephone. PES rates a telephone as functioning if the surveyor notes an undamaged handset and is able to contact a specific 1- 800 test number.
A monthly audit conducted by a private company commissioned by the MTA found that 26% of telephones had “service affecting troubles” during July to December of 2006.

While the scope and implementation of this survey differ from methods used by the Straphangers Campaign, we believe the results of the commissioned study to be consistent with the findings of this survey.

4.  Credits

The Straphangers Campaign wishes to acknowledge our volunteers who conducted this year’s surveys: Jason Alleyne, Crystal Birkbeck, Brian Campos, Claude Cantave, Charity Carbine, Jacob Constantino, James Ding, Keishane Esturiene, Jason Chin-Fatt, Marshall Krinitz, Rebecca Lefton, Brian Maher, Pamela Misir, Carina Molnar, Marc Montalbano, Andrew Morrison, Chris Rai, Timothy Romero, Wanda Salas, Jessica Scholl, Amanda Sisenstein, Kyle Sklerov, Eric Talbot, Jennifer Youn, and Nate Young.

 

 

News Release

Table 1 Best to Worst: Percentage of Functioning Payphones in 25 Most-Used Stations

Table 2 Comparison of Functioning Payphones in 15 Most-Used Stations, 2006-2007

Table 3 List of 100 Randomly Selected Subway Stations

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